ABA Honors Banker with Distinguished Service Award

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​WASHINGTON – Ben Joergens, financial empowerment officer of Old National Bank in Evansville, Ind., was nationally recognized for his service to the community and the banking industry with the American Bankers Association George Bailey Distinguished Service Award. Joergens will be presented with the award during ABA’s Annual Convention in Los Angeles on Nov. 10.

The George Bailey Distinguished Service Award​, sponsored by the ABA Foundation, is given to a non-CEO bank employee who demonstrates outstanding initiative, commitment to the bank’s customers and the communities they serve and inspires others. The ABA Foundation honors six banks annually for their commitment to their communities. This is the only award given to an individual.

Joergens has focused his efforts on financial education presentations, reaching more than 5,000 individuals in 2014 alone. Through partnerships with 27 different non-profit organizations, schools and universities, Joergens provided financial education basics to over 3,500 adults and 1,500 children.

One of these partnerships was with the Henderson County Detention Center’s Substance Abuse Program. In an effort to help non-violent offenders avoid re-incarceration, Joergens developed a 12 Steps to Financial Success financial literacy program which he has used to educate female inmates on money management. So far, over 150 women have completed the program.

Additionally, Joergens volunteers with HOPE Hall, a local rehabilitation facility in Evansville, Ind. HOPE Hall and Old National work together to assist past-offenders with finding a place to live upon completion of Joergens’ financial education courses. He also offers banking basic lessons at domestic abuse shelters, the Salvation Army and Churches Embracing Offenders.

“Ben Joergens has provided financial education to an at-risk and often neglected segment of his community,” said Frank Keating, ABA president and CEO. “His work embodies the mission of the George Bailey Service Award and the recognition is incredibly well-deserved.”

“This award is a welcome and tremendously humbling validation of Old National’s commitment to providing financial education and financial literacy resources in the communities we serve,” said Bob Jones, Old National president and CEO. “Ben Joergens’s passion for helping others is what truly drives our approach to financial education and we are thrilled that he, and Old National, are being recognized with this prestigious honor.”

The American Bankers Association is the voice of the nation’s $16 trillion banking industry, which is composed of small, regional and large banks that together employ more than 2 million people, safeguard $12 trillion in deposits and extend more than $8 trillion in loans.

Through its leadership, partnerships, and national programs, ABA’s Community Engagement Foundation (dba ABA Foundation), a 501(c)3, helps bankers provide financial education to individuals at every age, elevate issues around affordable housing and community development, and achieve corporate social responsibility objectives to improve the well-being of their customers and their communities.